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Kick It Up

Step aerobics is so early-'90s. These days, the hottest class in
gyms across the country is kick-boxing. The number of kick-boxers
rose 65 percent to 3.8 million from 1998 to 1999, making it the
fastest-growing sport, reports the National Sporting Goods
Association. (For those keeping score, participation in step
aerobics fell 2.6 percent to 8.2 million.) Wind surfing lost the
most enthusiasts, with participation sinking 24 percent last year.
And for the first time ever, fewer Americans in 1999 laced up their
inline skates (24.1 million vs. 27 million in 1998). Maybe they're
just cruising around on skateboards instead.